PRINTER RESOURCES! (BETA VERSION)
LIST OF PRINTERS USED BY INDEPENDENT ART PUBLISHERS
ALPHABETICAL BY BUSINESS NAME, WITH COMMENTS BY THE CONTRIBUTORS
American/ Foothill Publishing Co., Inc.
10009 Commerce Ave, Tujunga, CA 91042
(818) 352-7878
Email/Website: roger@americanfoothill.com
Newsprint printer, speedy & friendly. Contact: Roger Wirsing.
—Anonymous
Asia Pacific Offset
870 Market St. Suite 801, San Francisco, CA 94102
(800) 756-2309 / (415) 433-3488
amy@asiapacificoffset.com
http://www.asiapacificoffset.com/
The books are printed in Hong Kong and their quality is excellent. Very easy to work with. Contact: Amy Armstrong.
—Richard Hertz, Minneola Press
Luther Davis c/o Axelle Fine Arts
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 246-1200
luther@axelle.com
Luther has silkscreened the boxes for the last 2 issues of NDP, and has also printed a variety of silkscreened multiples for the publication.
—North Drive Press
C&C Offset Printing Co., (USA) Inc.
Portland, OR 97202
(503) 233-1834
http://www.ccoffset.com/
Quality is good and they're cheap. I think print run minimum is 1000.
—Hedi Kholti, Semiotext(e)
Califf & Meischke
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
+31206220888
info@calff.nl
http://www.calff.nl/
One of the best high-quality printers in the Netherlands.
1st choice of Dutch graphic designers. Expensive.
—Anonymous
Cassochrome
Belgium
056738393
http://www.csc.be/
Good quality color printer. Good image handling, and very good printers working at the machines. Good value for money when it comes to full color offset printing. English, French and Dutch spoken. Minimum run size 300 copies.
—Francesca Grassi, http://sortby.org/
Die Keure
Brugge, Belgium
+3250471272
info@diekeure.be
http://www.diekeure.be/
Very good all-round high-quality printer. They do a lot of art books. They are much cheaper than Dutch printers. That's partly because the environmental regulations concerning printing ink and chemicals in Belgium are not as strict as in The Netherlands, so they work with cheaper, but more polluting inks. But with those more polluting inks you sometimes can achieve more quality. The other reason is that they work with inmates for the binding. Obviously very popular amongst the pennywise Dutch graphic designer or artist on a budget.
—Anonymous
High end offset printer. Good quality in every aspect. Well known as an artbook printer. Minimum print run 300 copies. English, French and Dutch spoken.
—Anonymous
Dorado Press
San Fernando, CA
(818) 365-4433
lynn@doradopress.com
http://www.doradopress.com/
Specialize in music and media packaging (LP jackets etc), either printed or blank. Super nice and relatively fast, they have nice terrier dogs in the office. Prefer contact by phone.
—Luke Plus, Lucky Dragons / Sumi Ink Club
Ross Ellis
USA (Los Angeles, Chicago, New York) / Montreal, Canada
(800) 447-2149
http://www.ross-ellis.com/
They are one of the largest media companies and are somewhat subsidized by the government. They do great quality work at a good price and I highly recommend them.
—Cary Loren, Book Beat
G&P Printing
New York, NY
(212) 274-8092
files.gp@verizon.net
This is the Chinatown-based printer that North Drive Press uses for most of our offset printing work. Our contact is named Andy.
—North Drive Press
Graphics Factory Inc.
100 E. Fourth Street, Royal Oak, MI 48067
(248) 545-6331
Contact@GraphicsFactoryInc.com
http://www.graphicsfactoryinc.com/
For high quality large format color photographs. The owner Bob is a perfectionist and does some of the best digital printing I've seen -- many artists in Detroit and nationwide use his services. Excellent pricing too. He also does large banners and posters of any size.
—Cary Loren, Book Beat
Hignell Book Printing
Winnipeg, Canada
(204) 784-1030 / (800) 304-5553
books@hignell.mb.ca
http://www.hignell.mb.ca/
Imago
New York, NY
(212) 921-4411
http://www.imagousa.com
We've yet to work with them. They were recommended by T-Shore as a high-quality printer that CAN handle 4-color text/interior printing. They also print in China. Allow for a 12-week window: 2 weeks proofing/pre-production, 4 weeks manufacturing, 6 weeks shipping from China!
—Anonymous
Instant Publishers
Collierville, TN
(800) 259-2592 / (901) 853-7070
http://www.instantpublishers.com
Cheapest online printers I have come across. Hard to communicate with, slow. But good for BASIC books. CHEAP.
—Anonymous
J.E.J. Print, Inc.
673 Monterey Pass Road, Monterey Park, CA 91754
(626) 281-8989 / Fax: (626) 281-0859
Newsprint, 1000+ minimum quick turn around.
—Anonymous
Kulturwerk of BBK Berlin
Berlin, Germany
+493061401570
druckwerkstatt@bbk-kulturwerk.de
http://www.bbk-kulturwerk.de/cms/site/2cat32.html
It's a good printer for art projects (won't collaborate with any other type of initiators). Very cheap even for Berlin, but you will have to physically participate in the production. Contact: Matthias Mrowka (speaks English).
—Anonymous
Linco Printing
Long Island City, NY
(718) 937-5141
Tammy.Lin@lincoprinting.com / http://www.lincoprinting.com/
I haven't actually worked with that many printers. I make all my books by hand or with Lulu.com, an online on-demand printer (i'm sure you know about them already). I just started working with a place here in ny called Linco in long island city. They are ok.. and cheap. I've been making these posters with them: http://www.tvbookshop.com/Gallery_TV_Books_Poster_Series.html
i know they can do a lot of other stuff, but they don't have a catalog or anything. you kind of have to go there and ask questions
—Tim Barber, www.tinyvices.com, www.tvbookshop.com
Showpaper prints 10,000, full-color, double-sided newsprint for $740. Which seems pretty cheap. They're open 24 hrs, and depending on what else they're working on, turnaround can be anywhere from 6 hours to 2 hours. Plates themselves
are the bulk of the cost (since it's offset printing) so anything less than 10,000 still costs about the same amount (it'd be $560 just for plates, with no printing). They also print almost every small run ethnic paper in New York, but I don't know much about those costs. Please mention Showpaper if you're interested through this and talk with them.
—Showpaper
Magnum Offset
Hong Kong
(852) 25552438
Alice Fan - alice@magnumoffset.com.hk / http://www.magnumoffset.com.hk
Great quality and fairly quick turn around. Minimum of 500 copies for offset printing. They do digital laser printing as well but I have never done that with them so am unsure about quality and minimums.
—Anonymous
On Demand Printing Center
1888 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 434-1234
http://www.ondemandla.com/
(contributed by Richard Hertz, Minneola Press)
Quebecor
Montreal, Quebec
(800) 567-7070
http://www.quebecorworldinc.com/
We've only ever printed comic-books with them, but they do print all kinds of books.
—Anonymous
Quinn Essentials
Petaluma, CA
(707) 769-7484
mq@quinnessentials.com / http://www.quinnessentials.com/
Specializes in 4-color printing, including complicated and unusual designs. They print & ship in/from China, so shipping time can be exceptionally long.
—Anonymous
Great for runs of 2000 and more. Excellent quality and personal service. They'll really go above and beyond, and are very nice people. Need 4 months from shipping files to books arriving in warehouse.
—Anonymous
Rocket Printing
605 S. Washington, Royal Oak, MI 48067
(248) 336-3636 / Fax: (248) 336-9566
orders@rocketprintworld.com
http://www.rocketprintworld.com/
For small digital file print runs (postcards, small run booklets and flyers). They also can do CD printing and large format printing and their pricing is competitive. Tony is the owner's name.
--Cary Loren, Book Beat
Sesame Letterpress
Studio 608, 55 Washington Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(646) 263-7916
http://www.sesameletterpress.com/
This is the letterpress printer that NDP uses for all letterpress print multiples.
—North Drive Press
Shapco Printing, Inc.
Minneapolis, MI
(612) 375-1150
http://www.shapco.com/
Signature Offset
Colorado
(720) 562-4244
http://www.signatureoffset.com/
Newsprint and sheet-fed printing, inexpensive and fast. Ask for Brian Wagstaff.
—Megawords Magazine
SintJoris
Belgium
093219999
http://www.drukkerij-sintjoris.be/
Good value for money when it comes to black and white (or two color) offset printing. English and Dutch spoken. Minimum run size 300 copies.
—Anonymous
Space 1026
Philadelphia, PA
(215) 574-07630
http://www.space1026.com/
There are a bunch of us here who do high- quality, quick turn around, low-run ,affordable screen-printing for a variety of purposes. We print your designs as well as offer in-house design services. We sell art too. Roman Hasiuk- Specializes in fine art prints and the occasional business card (roman@gdvg.com).
Mark Price- Specializes in record and CD covers and rock posters (http://www.markpriceisafactory.com/ email: markprice1026@gmail.com).
Alex Lukas- Specializes in posters, prints and zine covers and zines (http://www.cantabpublishing.com, http://www.alexlukas.com, cantab.publishing@gmail.com).
—Space 1026
Mart Spruyt
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
+31205860777
info@spruijt.nl
http://www.martspruijt.nl/
Might be the best printer in The Netherlands. Very good with photography. Very Expensive.
—Anonymous
Rob Stolk
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
+31206684246
kantoor@robstolk.nl
http://www.robstolk.nl/
Good high-quality printer. Moderate price, popular amongst Dutch graphic designers for flyers.
—Anonymous
Stumptown Printers
Portland, OR
(503) 233-7478
http://www.stumptownprinters.com
Letterpress and offset lithography using vegetable-based inks and recycled materials.
Specialize in music and media packaging but will do any kind of print project--have their own digipak-rival design: "arigato pak" that you can either have them print on or buy blank.
Super nice, relatively fast, super easy, super quality.
—Luke Plus, Lucky Dragons / Sumi Ink Club
Tien Wah Press
New York, NY / Singapore
(212) 274-8090
http://www.twpsin.com/
Great for runs of 3000 copies and more. Excellent quality and service. Smoothest I've ever dealt with. Need 4 months from shipping files to books arriving in warehouse.
—Anonymous
Typecraft
2040 E. Walnut St, Pasadena, CA 91107
(626) 795-8093 ext. 227
dgarrison@typecraft.com / http://www.typecraft.com/
Great quality, medium to large print runs, sheet-fed press, speedy & friendly. Contact: Dan Garrison.
—Anonymous
Veenman Drukkers
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
+31102453333
info@veenmandrukkers.nl
http://www.veenmandrukkers.nl/
Good all-round quality printer. They do a lot of art books and have their own publishing house: http://www.veenmanpublishers.com/, so if you publish with them you save money on printing costs. Moderate price.
—Anonymous
Wassbergs + Skotte Tryckeri
Stockholm, Sweden
+46854567770
http://www.wassbergs.se/
Very expensive in both Offset and Digital print, but if you make large photobooks here,then it's totally worth it, they have the best offset for photography in Sweden for sure! Maybe be in Scandinavia for that fact. But they are also the most expensive printer we know of. And very busy, but professional on what they do of course.
Since they're pretty busy all the time, we always have to wait, even if we print 300 copies digitally. And we often have to send back a bunch of copies that is incorrect. But in the long run, for photobooks, this is the place. We will change printer pretty soon. We can't afford it anymore.
—Tony Cederteg
Werkstatt Höflich
Munich, Germany
+4989522081
I use this printer because they specialize in traditional printing techniques, though they do absolutely anything.
By traditional I mean that if you want to incorporate silkscreens into your publication, they can do it. They emulate older/out of use printing techniques to perfection, either with newer or older technologies, so this is the perfect printer for someone wanting a very particular look to their book. The consultation process is also very rigorous, and they are creatively involved from the start.
They give loads of advice and take the job personally, and as they are a small company they are personally involved with all aspects of the process. They are cheap and deliver on time. Their office is relaxed, they have a cute dog and they make you coffee.
—Pablo Bronstein
Westcan Printing
Winnipeg, Canada
(866) 337-1170, ext. 234
(866) 669-9914
cyoung@westcanpg.com
http://www.westcanpg.com/
They produce high quality art books. They can work with you to produce just about anything.
—Megawords Magazine
Good for runs of 1000 and more. Can be a little flakey in regards to returning calls/emails.
But print quality is excellent and files to warehouse time is only a month.
—Anonymous
If you have a few months, ask them if you can do it on no deadline for a much cheaper price.
—Anonymous
We've yet to work with them. They can print all sorts of books/magazines/etc. They seem flexible in their printing abilities.
They've printed Thrill Jockey's recent books & Thrill Jockey speaks highly of them.
—Anonymous